The University of South Alabama encourages students who have demonstrated high academic aptitude and initiative to undertake honors-level work in any appropriate course. Honors work normally involves substantial independent research and/or writing in addition to the normal requirements of the course. Specific expectations for contract honors credit must be negotiated between the student and instructor and approved by the USA Honors Program Director. Honors credit is noted on the grade sheet and transcript with an "H" designation.

A contract form should be completed and signed by student and professor as early as possible prior to registration. This form is intended for the private use of the teacher and student and the original will be filed with the USA Honors Program. Signed copies should be retained by both instructor and student to avoid any misunderstanding about the expectations for Honors credit. Upon completion of the course, the instructor should report satisfactory performance of this contract, with a grade of "B" or better, to the Honors Program Director in order for Honors credit to be place on the student's transcript.

Honors Contract Guidance

If you are planning on contracting for Honors credit in any of your courses, please use the following guidelines. We must all consider the fact that instructors are already dealing with multiple courses, multiple sections and many students when an Honors student asks them to arrange to do an Honors contract. This requires extra work on their part and they are not required by anyone to agree to contract with you. Most, however, are willing and happy to discuss the possibilities with you, under the right circumstances. In order to maintain a favorable, willing and supportive attitude toward USA Honors by our faculty, please be considerate and understanding of the instructors whom you approach. In some past situations (rare, but you know how those things get repeated!), faculty have felt that an Honors student was asking for special favors and perhaps acting "spoilt".

1. Approach your instructor before the class begins, and certainly not later than the first day of class, to determine if a contract for Honors credit is possible. I will not approve any that are submitted beyond the end of the second week of classes in any term. Plan ahead and be proactive!

2. Do not plan to meet an Honors course requirement (i.e. CIS 250) by contracting for another non honors section of a course that is offered as an Honors course or in a term when it is not offered as an Honors course (i.e., EH 105). Departments are currently assigning faculty to Honors courses with reduced enrollment for specific terms and sections. This reduces their ability to cover other sections with greater enrollment. Faculty assigned to Honors courses have been specially selected and have agreed to take the assignment knowing that it will probably take extra effort on their part but that enrollment will be controlled at lower numbers than regular sections. Faculty teaching non honors sections expect larger enrollments but don't expect to do one on one work with an Honors student. Under extenuating circumstance, and with particularly generous faculty, you may be able to arrange these contracts, but don't at all count on it.

3. For non honors courses, many faculty may not have encountered the concept of an "Honors Contract" and may need a little coaching or discussion to become comfortable with the idea. Feel free to refer them to me with questions. As you can imagine, this kind of a situation could become negative if the instructor feels you have waited too late or feels pressured to do this contract. So, give them plenty of lead-time and information and accept a "no" answer if they are not willing to arrange a contract.

4. As a courtesy to your instructor who has been doing a contract with you, gently and politely remind them near the end of the term that they need to report the satisfactory completion of the contract to me (final signatures on the contract form) in order for me to have it put on your transcript. Don't just leave it up to them to remember!

Careful adherence to the above suggestions should keep the faculty happy and enthusiastic and should continue to give you opportunities and access to enriched "Honors" courses.

Thanks for your understanding and cooperation. Happy contracting!

You can download the Honors Contract form in .PDF format for printing or viewing purposes if you have Acrobat Reader®. If you do not have Acrobat Reader®, you can click on the banner below to download a FREE copy.